The centerpiece of Lafarge’s expansion project on the banks of Lac des Arcs has a new moniker following a ‘name the dome’ contest that drew roughly 300 submissions.

On Friday, officials with Lafarge Canada announced the 35 metre tall dome, with a 100 metre diameter, would be known as EcoDome. The EcoDome name was submitted separately by both Jim Petersen and Bruce Brinkworth, residents of the Bow Valley.

The name was selected by Lafarge employees and the company has decided to award both men with the top prize, a $1,000 donation in their name to the charity of their choice.

The EcoDome, which can be seen from the TransCanada Highway, houses materials used in the process of producing cement and reduces the spread of dust.

Petersen and Brinkworth will have their names placed on a plaque outside the dome and will receive a VIP tour of the dome and the explansion plant.

Company officials say they were overwhelmed by the response to the contest.

“We thought we would see about 50 entries max,” said Jim Bachmann, plant manager. “We’ve been pleasantly surprised and to be honest, we’ve had so much fun seeing the entries, we have decided to give out a few honourable mentions.”

Lafarge has awarded four Bow Valley residents with consolation prizes of $500 charitable donations for their entries including:

  • Most creative submission - The Mixing Bowl (Daryl Mikalson and Justin Francis)
  • Most humorous submission - The Duster Buster (Taryn Wagar)
  • Most nostalgic submission – The Diver–Fleming Dome (Pat Zawada)

Dan Diver and Hugh Fleming, employees of the International Portland Cement Company, discovered limestone in the Bow Valley in the early 1900’s.